As you may or may not be aware, wine is a very central part of Moldovan life. It is a challenge to find a home that does not have it's own collection of grapevines sprawling over its walls and gates. As such, I have yet to visit a home where I am not offered a glass or two of their homemade vin. Well, on the second Sunday of October this dark fruity beverage is the official toast of the town, as Chișinau hosts the country's annual Wine Festival.
Apparently, it is normally held in the city's central park, but this year it was hosted at the Moldexpo fairgrounds. This is not really all that important; but I will say that the central park would have been perfect for the celebration (I think there was a conflict with another celebration this year...) I can only imagine the wine being poured, drank and spilled under the shade of the trees just off Stefan Cel Mare, trolley buses running to and fro. Yes a bit of envy, but that envy will definitely bring me back to Moldova in a (hopefully not too) distant October.
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As you can see, a giant inflatable vintner welcomes guests to the fair. His thumbs-up next to a barrel of what I presume is his proudly crafted inflatable wine is just his friendly way of daring you to have a good time while in Moldova... and yes, people come from all over Europe for this festival. Before arriving to the fair I talked with four Polish college students at the bus stop. They had flown in for two days solely to celebrate Moldovan wine!
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Bine ați venit! (Welcome!)
As I was walking through the gate, a strange thing happened. I was minding my own business, immersing myself in culture, when a distinctly mid-western accent brought me out of my daze. There is something uncanny about hearing English spoken in Moldova. It's clarity grasps the center of my attention with an indescribable strength, for better or worse. Throw in the familiarity of the mid-west, and I am hooked.
So I had to ask, "Where are you from?" As it turns out, it was a group of Peace Corps volunteers. They invited me over to meet their group and share some wine... which I gladly obliged.
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From this vantage point we chatted....
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...enjoyed the thrill of traditional dancing...
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...because what good festival doesn't include random lines of people dancing through the crowd?
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...and a concert or three?
I wanted to wander a bit, but, the guys wanted to introduce me to someone before I took to the streets. They had found out I was from Michigan and lived in Grand Rapids for a spell and thought they should introduce me to someone in the corps...
The conversation went something like this:
Me: "You're from Grand Rapids? Rock on, small world huh?"
Her: "Guess so..."
Me: "You look so familiar...did you get out a lot in Grand Rapids?"
Her: "I guess you could say so, I do feel like we've met..."
Me: "Did you ever grab a drink or two at Bar Divani?"
Her: "Oh my God! You hired me!!!"
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Meet Cailin. Yes it is a small world after all! She is also from Grand Rapids... and was the second to last person I hired before leaving Grand Rapids for New Orleans. It is amazing how life works. I remember that she had pretty much no experience with wine when she came in for her interview. But I also remember her striking me as a world traveler... it seemed like that personality would be great for selling wine to other people seeking the adventure of the world in a glass. Little did I know that it would also wind up bringing us to the same street in Chisinau! A very cool moment in time.
And with that... cue the amusement park rides and sound the music!
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From the annals of Disney:
It's a world of laughter, A world of tears.
It's a world of hopes, And a world of fears.
There's so much that we share,
That it's time we're aware,
It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small, small world.
There is just one moon, And one golden sun.
And a smile means, Friendship to every one.
Though the mountains divide,
And the oceans are wide,
It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small world after all.
It's a small, small world.
I couldn't have stated it any better.
